Avalanche forecast

Taranaki

New Zealand Avalanche Advisory
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Avalanche danger

High Alpine · above 1,800 m
2 · Moderate
Alpine · 1,200 m–1,800 m
2 · Moderate
Sub Alpine · below 1,200 m
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Highlights

Rinse and repeat a bit at the moment, with variable conditions across the mountain due to this weather providing us a melt-freeze cycle.

Avalanche problems

  • Wet Slabs

    • All elevations
    Likelihood
    Possible
    Size
    1.5

    Variable conditions are the theme still across the mountain with a reasonable melt-freeze cycle happening. What this means is firm conditions in the early hours of the morning and early evening. North facing aspects will be the first to see a change during the day as ambient heat and rain penetrate these slopes. This can cause the potential lose of cohesion in the snowpack, providing us with this avalanche risk. So general care and trip planning are required when navigating the alpine environment on the mountain. Be prepared to change plans depending on how the snowpack changes with the current weather.

Recent Avalanche Activity

No observations. Please report any public observations

Current Snowpack Conditions

A melt-freeze cycle is still present. This is causing surface layers to lose cohesion, mainly on north-facing aspects. Cold temperatures overnight provide a reasonable freeze to the surface layers, making all aspects and elevations below 2000m firm. Surface conditions will continue to undergo a melt-freeze cycle under this weather pattern.

Mountain Weather

Still going through cold nights and warm days. The difference for Friday is winds moving to gale-force northerlies with increasing rain. Saturday should see a short break in the weather before a return to poor weather.

Sliding Danger

Firm in the mornings and evenings with the cooler temperatures.

Forecast Confidence

High

  • The snowpack structure is well understood.
  • We have a good understanding of the snowpack structure and confidence in the weather forecast.

New Zealand Avalanche Advisory (NZ Mountain Safety Council)

Regions covered